Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Beyond the Veil
Chapter 2
Sirius startled, sprang awake from dreamless sleep. There [i]was[/i] someone there with him. With canine senses heightened, hackles rose on the back of his neck.
"Who's here?" He raised his wand as he shouted, the words escaping him as whispers. They were although significantly louder than they had been last time. He wondered if his wand would even be of any help here anyway. He had never felt as helpless as he did right now.
The scent of jasmine or some other flower caught his attention. He raised his nose in the air and started slowly walking towards its source. There was only one woman who wore that unnameable scent; it seemed to emanate from her skin. And then another scent mingled with it. Aftershave, cologne. And then the smell of a curse.
Lily approached him first. At the sight of her, he couldn't help himself. The tears began to fall silently. A thousand unsaid thoughts passed his mind, and he struggled to focus on one of them. He tried to tell her that he was sorry. He needed her to know that he didn't desert them or Harry. But all that came out was another impotent whisper. He slammed his fists against a wall and tried again.
She rose her finger to her lips and shushed him. At that moment, James stepped from the shadows behind her. They still wore the clothing they had on when they were killed. Battered and tattered robes, the remains of a futile battle. James rested his hand on Lily's shoulder and gazed at Sirius. There was no anger, only remorse at lives cut short.
"Padfoot. There isn't a lot of time; you slept for longer than we thought. Lily and I have missed you. We know that there was nothing you could have done. Don't dwell on the past." He and Lily came to him and hugged him close. Sirius hurt. He was sobbing now, trying to take deep breaths and stop. He tried to focus on what his friend was saying, and memorize it. He didn't want to forget this conversation. He had never heard James sound so solemn, it unnerved him. He had to be dead if he was here with them, but they seemed so real to him.
"Sirius, please listen to us. Harry needs help. There is still a lot of work to be done, and you are the only one who can do it. Do you understand me? James and I can only guide you. You have to do the work."
Sirius nodded. He was going to do whatever it took to help Harry and his friends. He never expected this opportunity to see James and Lily again and he vaguely wondered if he was dreaming. He was frustrated at his inability to speak, there was so much that needed to be said. He needed to explain what transpired that night, and again at the Ministry of Magic. But all that he could make was a scratching whisper.
"What can I do?" He tried again, as he was a man that would not accept circumstances. A croak escaped his vocal cords, almost audible.
Lily nodded her encouragement, "Don't force it, it will come back. Now we need to get started, James you have to explain why he's the one."
James nodded and sat on the cold stone floor. "Sirius, it had to be you. Harry can't do this alone. We can't help him; we're nothing. Harry is going to have to fight fire with fire so to speak. You are a Black. You have Black blood. You are in a direct relation to blood with the most powerful Dark Magic mingling in it. This is in your veins. And as much as you have tried to erase this association, that very blood is going to kill Voldemort. But you have to let it. You have to accept it, and have the power to control it. You are the only one that can help Harry at this point."
"Why me? I'm of no use to anyone." Sirius shook his head. He had already proven that he was incapable of helping Harry when he had let Bellatrix murder him.
"Because with your blood, you swore to protect him." Sirius remembered the Godfather ceremony and the pact he had made to protect Harry. He was so honored to be chosen, but he had never known it would come to this. "That bond is going to give you the power to go back and protect him." James peered at him with dead eyes, pleading with him to understand. Sirius blinked and looked at his friend. Why was he being given the chance to go back? Harry's parents had [i]died[/i] for him, why not them? He opened his mouth to speak, but Lily answered as if she knew.
"Because neither James nor I can accomplish this task. I know what has to be done, Sirius. Please listen to us." She said, using those pleading eyes that he used to joke about. Now they were hollow and sad.
Sirius took time digesting this information. He was absent-mindedly chewing his lip and mulling it over. He was a strong descendent of Black. It was the bane of his existence. It was the reason that no mercy was shown when he was framed. It was the reason that his bloodline had vehemently despised him for turning on them. Blood is a funny thing, taken for granted. But one's magic flowed in their veins. And Sirius did have the most ancient and dark blood in his veins. He had shed some of it swearing to protect his friends' son. He could always feel it simmering and calling to be awoken. And he pushed it down. That was a door better left locked. If he were to give in, it would be to turn back on all that he ever thought was right, he knew there was the option of losing control. Look at Narcissa. She answered the call. She and Lucius were the product of blood breeding. No love involved. They were like animals, bred to hate. And Draco, he was a force to be reckoned with. When the call came to him... well, that was a while away.
He came back to the surface of his thoughts. Lily and James were looking at him.
"What do I do?" His voice was now strangled, but audible.
"Sirius, you are the one who has to decide, Lily and I can only guide you. You may not like it, but we have to attempt it."
"What is it?" Stronger now, he could feel himself becoming stronger.
"Sirius, you have to accept your blood. You are the only wizard who can complete this task. It's a huge decision."
He wasn't used to James and Lily being so somber. Lily wouldn't meet his eyes. She picked at a tear in her robes. James was furiously cleaning his glasses. When he spoke again he was almost inaudible.
"Sirius, you have to become the Grim."
Sirius startled, sprang awake from dreamless sleep. There [i]was[/i] someone there with him. With canine senses heightened, hackles rose on the back of his neck.
"Who's here?" He raised his wand as he shouted, the words escaping him as whispers. They were although significantly louder than they had been last time. He wondered if his wand would even be of any help here anyway. He had never felt as helpless as he did right now.
The scent of jasmine or some other flower caught his attention. He raised his nose in the air and started slowly walking towards its source. There was only one woman who wore that unnameable scent; it seemed to emanate from her skin. And then another scent mingled with it. Aftershave, cologne. And then the smell of a curse.
Lily approached him first. At the sight of her, he couldn't help himself. The tears began to fall silently. A thousand unsaid thoughts passed his mind, and he struggled to focus on one of them. He tried to tell her that he was sorry. He needed her to know that he didn't desert them or Harry. But all that came out was another impotent whisper. He slammed his fists against a wall and tried again.
She rose her finger to her lips and shushed him. At that moment, James stepped from the shadows behind her. They still wore the clothing they had on when they were killed. Battered and tattered robes, the remains of a futile battle. James rested his hand on Lily's shoulder and gazed at Sirius. There was no anger, only remorse at lives cut short.
"Padfoot. There isn't a lot of time; you slept for longer than we thought. Lily and I have missed you. We know that there was nothing you could have done. Don't dwell on the past." He and Lily came to him and hugged him close. Sirius hurt. He was sobbing now, trying to take deep breaths and stop. He tried to focus on what his friend was saying, and memorize it. He didn't want to forget this conversation. He had never heard James sound so solemn, it unnerved him. He had to be dead if he was here with them, but they seemed so real to him.
"Sirius, please listen to us. Harry needs help. There is still a lot of work to be done, and you are the only one who can do it. Do you understand me? James and I can only guide you. You have to do the work."
Sirius nodded. He was going to do whatever it took to help Harry and his friends. He never expected this opportunity to see James and Lily again and he vaguely wondered if he was dreaming. He was frustrated at his inability to speak, there was so much that needed to be said. He needed to explain what transpired that night, and again at the Ministry of Magic. But all that he could make was a scratching whisper.
"What can I do?" He tried again, as he was a man that would not accept circumstances. A croak escaped his vocal cords, almost audible.
Lily nodded her encouragement, "Don't force it, it will come back. Now we need to get started, James you have to explain why he's the one."
James nodded and sat on the cold stone floor. "Sirius, it had to be you. Harry can't do this alone. We can't help him; we're nothing. Harry is going to have to fight fire with fire so to speak. You are a Black. You have Black blood. You are in a direct relation to blood with the most powerful Dark Magic mingling in it. This is in your veins. And as much as you have tried to erase this association, that very blood is going to kill Voldemort. But you have to let it. You have to accept it, and have the power to control it. You are the only one that can help Harry at this point."
"Why me? I'm of no use to anyone." Sirius shook his head. He had already proven that he was incapable of helping Harry when he had let Bellatrix murder him.
"Because with your blood, you swore to protect him." Sirius remembered the Godfather ceremony and the pact he had made to protect Harry. He was so honored to be chosen, but he had never known it would come to this. "That bond is going to give you the power to go back and protect him." James peered at him with dead eyes, pleading with him to understand. Sirius blinked and looked at his friend. Why was he being given the chance to go back? Harry's parents had [i]died[/i] for him, why not them? He opened his mouth to speak, but Lily answered as if she knew.
"Because neither James nor I can accomplish this task. I know what has to be done, Sirius. Please listen to us." She said, using those pleading eyes that he used to joke about. Now they were hollow and sad.
Sirius took time digesting this information. He was absent-mindedly chewing his lip and mulling it over. He was a strong descendent of Black. It was the bane of his existence. It was the reason that no mercy was shown when he was framed. It was the reason that his bloodline had vehemently despised him for turning on them. Blood is a funny thing, taken for granted. But one's magic flowed in their veins. And Sirius did have the most ancient and dark blood in his veins. He had shed some of it swearing to protect his friends' son. He could always feel it simmering and calling to be awoken. And he pushed it down. That was a door better left locked. If he were to give in, it would be to turn back on all that he ever thought was right, he knew there was the option of losing control. Look at Narcissa. She answered the call. She and Lucius were the product of blood breeding. No love involved. They were like animals, bred to hate. And Draco, he was a force to be reckoned with. When the call came to him... well, that was a while away.
He came back to the surface of his thoughts. Lily and James were looking at him.
"What do I do?" His voice was now strangled, but audible.
"Sirius, you are the one who has to decide, Lily and I can only guide you. You may not like it, but we have to attempt it."
"What is it?" Stronger now, he could feel himself becoming stronger.
"Sirius, you have to accept your blood. You are the only wizard who can complete this task. It's a huge decision."
He wasn't used to James and Lily being so somber. Lily wouldn't meet his eyes. She picked at a tear in her robes. James was furiously cleaning his glasses. When he spoke again he was almost inaudible.
"Sirius, you have to become the Grim."
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